Tears
by Taikida
Summary: A little H/C with Yachiru. Character death


Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, if I owned Bleach it wouldn't be this good.

Tears

Tears were not necessary; at least she thought so, even if they did threaten to pour down her face at times. Everyone saw her as Kenpachis' happy, rambunctious bloodthirsty flash of pink.

Kenpachi had once said, when she had been very young that tears were okay but that she shouldn't cry unless she had to, whatever he meant by that; probably just tired at her whimpering.

Ikkaku had said that tears were a sign of weakness, even if he altered that statement when Yumichika slammed an elbow into his ribs.

Yumichika said that tears were something that meant that you were sad, happy, in love, just about any strong feeling could bring out tears.

Ichigo, she had asked him in Hueco Mundo, had shrugged and said that Karin barely had cried since the death of their mother, but what more of it he did not know.

Byakuya had said that emotions should be tucked away, nothing more.

Rangiku had said that sometimes tears fell in their own accord no matter what you thought of them, and a good way to heal that was to get drunk.

Yachiru was in the middle of that part now, drinking, she had probably emptied at least three bottles in the last two hours and her head was spinning a little. No one sat at her table in the loud room, she had death-glared a few men that had attempted to sit down with her, death-glared them in a way that would have made Kenpachi proud of her. Kenpachi…

She felt her eyes stinging again and she downed another gulp of sake. The bar suddenly grew silent as three men walked in, she looked up at them as they uninvited slopped down at her table. An eye-patch that reminded her too much about Kenpachi adorned Ichigos' left eye, not that it in any way was a reiatsu eating device as the one her father wore, but something that hid a hollowfied eye. Ikkaku was on his other side already a little drunk, Yumi sat down closest, his face marred by fading scars, not that he had even once complained over his ruined beauty.

"Never drink alone," Ichigo said as he took the bottle with his only hand, taking a swig of her sake. She knew that he had lost a lot as well; Orihime, Rukia, Karin. "It's better to get drunk together."

"He died protecting the only thing he loved," Yumichika said as he pulled the cap of another sake bottle. "Truly he did enjoy fighting but he only loved you, Yachiru."

The pinkette tried to punch Yumichika, but he grabbed her smaller hand in his own.

"It is alright to cry," Ikkaku said, "it's alright to mourn when someone like Zaraki Kenpachi dies."

"No it's not! I should have been able to fight that arrancar myself! He shouldn't have to die!" she cried out as she stood up lurching dangerously. Ichigo looked up at her, his brown eye sad.

"Kenpachi made the ultimate sacrifice because of love, it's hard for the one saved; you feel that it's your fault. However, he wouldn't be the one you loved if he hadn't saved you."

"Go away."

"Aint happening. I plan to get exceptionally drunk tonight and this is a good bar!" Ikkaku said with a hiccup. Both Yumi and Ichigo looked at the 3rds taichou with a little disdain.

"Kusajika-taichou, let's drink for Zaraki-taichou!" Ichigo said as he clanked his bottle against her thigh, what little of Yachirus' balance that remained disappeared and she fell against Yumichika who effortlessly caught her descent and eased her down, earning a small whack to his head.

"You have no right…" Yachiru stated as she tipped the bottle backwards and allowed the fluid to pour down her throat, her eyes tingled again and she bit down hard as she removed the flask from her lips.

"To the bravest and strongest!" the three males clinked their bottles together.

Yachiru tried to death-glare them, but death-glaring only made them smile and burst out in some memory about the former captain of the 11th, so she sat there and grew drunker and drunker.

"I really should get him back to his quarters soon enough. We are training together with Renjis' squad in the morning," Yumichika said as Ikkaku fell asleep with his head resting on a platter of fruits. "Will you try to get Yachiru home as well?"

"Can'go 'ome on me'own…" Yachiru said as she leaned back a little. Her eyes were half-lidded and she tried to stand up to little avail.'

"It's in the same direction anyway Yachiru," Ichigo said as he pulled the shorter woman close enough to pull her arm across his shoulder. She leaned against him relishing in his reiatsu, his familiarity with her. She knew that he never would see her as anything but a little sister, although she really was the older, but she wanted to be near him. The quartet broke of as Yumichika shunpoed to the third with Ikkaku draped over his thin shoulders.  
Yachiru allowed herself to lean on Ichigo as they walked towards their respective homes, sobering a little in the chilly night air.

"I miss him," she murmured as she rubbed her nose against Ichigos' yukata. Ichigos' arm tightened against her waist.

"You know you have to cry for him sooner or later. Tears aren't evil, Yachiru, in fact they are something that reminds you that you have feelings. Even Byakuya cries, even if he prefers to do so in private."

"Byakuya cries?"

"Yeah, when Rukia died, I was staying at the Kuchiki Manor since the 4th were out of rooms and Byakuya forced them to move me there. When I regained consciousness he was sitting next to me crying, drunk as ever."

Yachiru looked over towards the 11ths barracks that they were approaching. She had moved out from the rooms she had had in her younger years, the ones adjoining to Kenpachis'.

"Can I cry?"

"Everyone can cry Yachiru," Ichigo said as he slid the door open to her rooms. "You only have to allow yourself," he continued as he helped her to the ground.

"Stay with me?" she asked as Ichigo turned to leave, her hand was grasping his hakama. He sat down next to her allowing his arm to slip across her shoulders, small tears escaping beneath her eyelids.


End file.
